Coles has been the most confusing because it’s changed its policy, responding to anger from those who see a free bag as a right one moment and then to green tinged customers the next.

Woolworths has stuck with the refusal to give out free bags.

But it’s hard to know where you stand.

So a Glen Innes shop and community radio are doing a design-your-own shopping bag competition called “It’s in the Bag” and involves 2CBD and “Made in Glen”.

There are five categories: “best hand-made bag – fabric; best hand-made bag – non fabric (wool etc); best bag made or decorated by someone  under 16; most colourful bag; best decorated bag bought in a store (the store makes the bag but you decorate it).

The closing date is August 31 at 5 pm and entry forms can be got from the store on Grey Street.

Laura Hamilton of Made in Glen said: “I’m going to give up one of my windows to display the bags as they come in. It’s just for the fun of it in conjunction with cancelling the plastic bag”.

The judges will decide who wins. Bag makers can decide if they want to keep their entry or donate it to the radio station to be raffled as a fund-raising prize.